Lawmakers defer on 'no more stringent' environmental rule

Comments

As often as our legislators decry Federal government mandates and entanglements,
it seems contradictory to accept such in this important matter.

Yeah butSouth Jordan, UT

Feb. 5, 2014 6:37 a.m.

It is amazing to me how people can read the statute and look at how the state
has implemented it and think that this statute change is needed. The statute
allows DEQ to be more stringent than corresponding federal regulations if they
can demonstrate that it is necessary to protect public health, and that
demonstration has been used effectively to create rules like the state-wide
stage I vapor recovery program and the minor source NSR program in Utah, both of
which are much more strict than the federal programs. Ms. Van Dame sits on the
Air Quality Board and knows or should know that whenever the state develops a
plan to clean up the air, it is adopted into federal law; thereby becoming
federal law; therefore making state law exactly equal to federal law.

The only reason environmentalists want this statute change is to adopt
California air quality standards that California, itself, can't meet so we
can not meet even more stringent standards than the federal standards that we
will soon meet.

Kudos to the legislators who are cautious to put
another arrow in the enviroquiver that would be used to kill economic growth in
Utah.

JoeBlowFar East USA, SC

Feb. 5, 2014 6:03 a.m.

"If anything, we should be fighting to abolish the federal EPA and their
absurd rules. (And let the states re-enact the few good rules)."

I have no doubt that the EPA has some stupid regulations.

But in
traditional Conservative fashion, the solution is all or nothing. Allowing each
state to set their own rules for air and water pollution is totally ludicrous.

DN SubscriberCottonwood Heights, UT

Feb. 4, 2014 8:31 p.m.

This is a good bill.

Utah regulators can be trusted to use good
judgment and not be subject tot he same extremist environmental nonsense that
plagues the federal EPA.

If anything, we should be fighting to
abolish the federal EPA and their absurd rules. (And let the states re-enact
the few good rules).

jean22Bountiful, UT

Feb. 4, 2014 8:05 p.m.

The reason our Republican legislators can't see that the current Utah law
makes it impossible for us to deal with our peculiar situation is because they
are paid by the Utah Manufacturers Association and the Utah Petroleum
Association to NOT see it.

When will our Republican legislators make
reasonable clean air laws rather than bowing to the petroleum lobbyists?

Irony GuyBountiful, Utah

Feb. 4, 2014 5:55 p.m.

Our local problem is worse than nearly any other in the nation. The EPA
standards are crafted for the whole country, not for the worst cases. The
current Utah law makes it impossible for us to deal with our peculiar situation.
Why can't our Republican legislators see that?